This invention relates to sheet metal building construction and is more especially directed to fasteners for joining sheet metal beam members, such as purlins, joists, wall studs, or the like.
Currently, the fabrication of sheet metal structures requires specialized tools and considerable skill in building construction. Because of the global need for low-cost, simple to construct housing which the end user could construct on a self-help basis, there has long been a need for simple and durable building construction systems which can be assembled by persons without much skill in the building trades and without requiring special tools. In particular, there is a need for fasteners that can be used to join sheet metals beams that run parallel or cross, and which avoid problems that are associated with bolts, rivets, or other conventional fastening means.
The sheet metal construction beams with which such a fastener might be used are described in my earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,188,147 granted Jan. 12, 1980; 4,192,119, granted Mar. 11, 1980 and 4,201,026, granted May 6, 1980, and also in my copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 086,382 filed Aug. 14, 1987.